This year, CSEF winners were chosen from among 281 projects represented by 302 finalists from 114 schools and 13 regions within the state. More than 100 professional scientists, engineers and mathematicians interviewed the students and evaluated their projects before selecting the Grand Award winners. In addition, over 50 businesses, professional societies, and government agencies provided more than 100 of their own representatives to judge exhibits based on their own criteria. They judged the student finalists and conferred Special Awards which represented an aspect of the bestowing organization. These included college scholarships, offers of summer employment, field trips, cash, savings bonds, and calculators. Over 700 people attended the Awards Ceremony this year.

Scholarships from Adams State College (ASC), Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation, and University of Colorado - Boulder were also presented. Adams State College awarded twelve one-year full resident tuition and fees scholarships. The Colorado School of Mines awarded six four-year half resident tuition scholarships. The University of Colorado - Boulder awarded four one-year scholarships ranging in value from $1,500 to $4,000. The Syracuse Pulp and Paper Foundation awarded one $17,000 scholarship to State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The Intel Foundation also awarded a $2,000 scholarship to a twelfth grader in the name of Ryan Patterson (Intel ISEF top winner in 2001) for use at the college or university of their choice.

This year, the CSEF was honored to have guest speaker, Dr. Stephen Thompson, Professor of Chemistry, Director of the Center for Science, Mathematics & Technology Education, University Distinguished Teaching Scholar and professional fire eater. Dr. Thompson's talk was entitled "Fire in the Mind."

The origin is fire is lost in antiquity and yet all ancient communities possess myths about how fire was given and kept. Since the beginning of time fire has been a powerful element in the lives of people. Fire transforms, consumes, cooks, warms, protects and induces meditation and revenue. Over 50,000 years ago indigenous people have used controlled fire to recycle nutrients and to enhance hunting. The fire stick is still a central part of aboriginal culture in Australia, which may be described as a continent shaped by fire. For the Greeks fire was a fundamental element and part of all material contribution. Through the17th and19th centuries, fire was one of the great problems in science, as well as an element in poetry and magic. Lavoisier and Priestly developed the modern interpretation of fire with the discovery of dioxygen and carbon dioxide. We now know that hydrocarbon combustion systems are dynamic chain reaction systems that possess strange chaotic properties and interesting macroscopic-structures. Dr. Stephen Thompson has studied the scientific, cultural, magical, and spiritual nature of fire for over 50 years and will give a demonstration of the ultimate human interaction with fire.

2007 COLORADO SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR TOP AWARDS

The top two individual Senior Division project exhibitors and the top team Senior Division project exhibitors won an all-expense paid trip to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Albuquerque, NM May 13 - 19, 2007. First place went to Chelsea Oden, Monte Vista High School in Monte Vista, grade 11, for the project A Wrinkle in Prime: An Investigation of Prime Properties in a Four-Dimensional Sieve of Eratosthenes. Second place went to Atticus Bergman, Fairview High School in Boulder, grade 11, for the project That Flocking Convection. The first place Senior Division team project was Bailey Leppek & Derek Kramer, Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, grade 11, for the project Ethanol Synthesis from Different Biodegradable Household Waste Products. Awarded third place for best individual project and winner of an all-expense paid trip to observe at the Intel ISEF was Daniel Smith, Herzl Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy, grade 11, for the project Reading Fingers: A System for Automatic Guitar Composition.

The winner of the Senior Division Student Choice Award was Leslie Hase, Merino Jr/Sr High School in Merino, grade 12, for the project A Combat Against Cavity Causing Bacteria: Raisins as a Functional Food for Oral Health. The Junior Division Student Choice winner was Abbi Helfer, North Middle School in Colorado Springs, grade 7, for the project Pan-Demonium.

The winner of the Poster Art Contest was Marlee Canada, Home Schooled in Mosca.

The winners of the Pioneers of Science Awards were:Avery DiUbaldo, Cherry Creek Challenge School in Denver, grade 8 for the project Studies of the Pheromonal Capabilities of the Western Harvester Ant;Majed Aldhamari, Blevins Junior High School in Fort Collins, grade 8 for the project Chromatic Adaption;Cody Hervert, Eagle County Charter Academy in Edwards, grade 8 for the project Intoxicated - Intechnicated "What's the Difference?;Katie Romano, Harrison Middle School in Canon City, grade 6 for the project The Day After . . . A Day at the Beach;Jorge Arrendondo, Cheyenne Wells Middle School in Cheyenne Wells, grade 8 for the project Chlorinated Water vs. Carbon Filters;Dylan Cleveland, Canon City Middle School in Canon City, grade 6 for the project Does the Earth Move Under Your Feet?;Taylor Bond, St. Peter's Lutheran School in Monte Vista, grade 6 for the project Get Your Head Out of the Cloud Point;Isaiah Branch-Boyle, St. Columba School in Durango, grade 8 for the project Journey to a Hydrogen Future;Jana Elrick, Arriba-Flagler School in Flagler, grade 7 for the project Whether It Weathers;Noah Jordan, Windsor Charter Academy in Windsor, grade 6 for the project A Sticky Situation;Alyssa Loveland, Lamar Middle School in Lamar, grade 7 for the project Did Lamar Receive Any Acid Snow?;Joshua Shettler, Holy Family Catholic School in Grand Junction, grade 8 for the project Mathematical Algorithms and the Physics of a Roller Coaster;Laci Pennington, Lamar Middle School in Lamar, grade 7 for the project Does Heat Affect Your Hair Strength?;Kally Williams, Cortez Middle School in Cortez, grade 6 for the project How Do Different Beverages Effect Human Teeth?;Brenna Christensen, Miller Middle School in Durango, grade 6 for the project Jammin' Germs;Phillip Foy, Otis Jr/Sr High School in Otis, grade 8 for the project Amazing Ice;Sami Hourieh, Parkview Elementary School in Lamar, grade 6 for the project Electromagnets and Iron Bolts; andAlexa Major, Fowler Junior High School in Fowler, grade 7 for the project Good Salt, Bad Salt - Which Is Which?.

The winner of the CSEF Teacher of the Year Award was Haydee Phelps of Summit Middle School in Boulder. Ms. Phelps received a $3,000 grant to use towards scientific research in his classroom and school.

All of the 1st and 2nd place Junior Division category winners were nominated for the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. This year, 12 Colorado students were named as Semi-Finalists and Ambrose Soehn was chosen as a Finalist to attend the DCYSC competition in Washington, DC, October, 2007.